In the middle of the throne, and all around the throne, were four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind. The first creature was like a lion, the second creature was like an ox, the third creature had a human face, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. Each of the four creatures had six wings, and they were full of eyes all round and inside. Day and night they take no rest, as they say, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty, Who Was and Who Is and Who Is to Come.” ~Revelation 4:6b-8

I’m really intrigued by these four living creatures. They have a richer history than I realized.

Way back in the second century A.D. Irenaeus initiated an interpretation that these four creatures represented the four Gospels. This became church tradition, and these four are often pictured each holding a book in ancient art.

Christians in the East linked them with the four elements of fire, earth, air, and water.

Joachim of Fiore (1135-1202), the Italian Abbot, identified them with four senses of Scripture: literal, moral, spiritual, and anagogical.

Others said they signified Christ’s life events of birth, passion, resurrection, and ascension.

Still others said they represented groups within the Church: apostles, martyrs, doctors, and virgins; or pastors, deacons, confessors, and contemplatives.

In the late 19th century the creatures were paired up with astrological symbols.

What about today? Even though we are pretty far removed in terms of time, we do have much more at our fingertips to look at, thanks to archaeology and the technology to more easily piece together the mosaic. Revelation scholar Craig Koester, who has done some of the deepest diving into this book that I know of, says that the four living creatures are heavenly representatives of the whole created order, who call every living thing to worship the Creator.

I really like this. And I must say this does ring true, does it not?

The four creatures are representative of the whole created order of animate life. You have wild animals, domestic animals, humans, and birds–an apex of each is listed here.

Koester goes on to say that “Those who worship on earth echo the true worship in heaven, therefore, readers have incentive to continue worshipping God, despite social pressures to compromise.”

Remember the very rough circumstances the believers of this time and place were going through. To say that they needed some encouragement is an understatement!

So the four creatures show proper order and worship, as well as the destructive results of deifying human authority. Oh how we still need this today!

Greg Beale says that “They are performing the function which all of creation is meant to fulfill. That is, all things were created to praise God for His holiness and glorify Him for His work of creation.”

Keeping in mind once again the persecution John’s readers were experiencing (as well as the ecstasy of vision John himself was experiencing which precipitated this letter), Brian Blount states “No matter the circumstances, whether one is lifted to the highest reaches of the heavens or crushed beneath the foot of Rome, one’s primary duty is to praise God.”

I cannot say it better than these scholar masters. The overall feel I get from this chapter and these writers is that we see from the four representatives of the created order that when we are worshipping Yahweh in every circumstance of life, everything is as it was meant to be. Everything is as it should be. We can participate in this order at any given moment through our power of choice granted to us by our Creator Himself.

Praise God no matter what. Praise Yeshua at every turn of the day. Praise Ruach, Pnuema, the Wind, upon waking and sleeping, and you are doing exactly what you were made to do, what you are meant to do, and all shall be in holy alignment no matter how it may look to the ignorant world’s eyes.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow, and experience the incomparable vibration of shalom and inner peace which no fool on earth can take away from you.